The most staggering ambivalence about bigotry in Foxman’s Haaretz interview, though, wasn’t about Christians or even Palestinians; it was about American Muslims. Asked by his interviewer, Chemi Shalev, about anti-Muslim discimination, Foxman sought to rationalize it. First, he argued that incidents of anti-Semitism occur more frequently than those related to anti-Muslim bigotry, as if tracking bigotry is a game in which scores are kept. But then Foxman digs deeper.

Shalev: You don’t think that “Muslim-baiting” is much more acceptable in the mainstream media than, say, “Jew-baiting”? There is a Congressman now who is calling for the authorities to keep track of the entire Muslim community.

Foxman: I don’t think that’s Muslim-baiting. It’s a natural response. It may be wise or unwise. But I think America’s got an issue now, and not only America. You look at France, you look at London, you look at Amsterdam—most of these incidents have come from Muslim communities that have been brought in and are not assimilating. Just like after 9/11, America is now questioning where the balance is between security and freedom of expression: Should we follow the ethnic communities? Should we be monitoring mosques? This isn’t Muslim-baiting—it’s driven by fear, by a desire for safety and security.

he that wants money, means, and content is without three good friends;
that the property of rain is to wet, and fire to burn;
that good pasture makes fat sheep;
and that a great cause of the night is lack of the sun;
that he that hath learned no wit by nature nor art
may complain of good breeding or comes of a very dull kindred.

Billy, As You Like It

http://artasith-m-nasdsnre.tumblr.com/ Simon Valentine

defamation is like libel
libel is like label and legal and
and lentil for the princess
she lends. like the good Dan Zag did a Crazy Ivan to starport a phoenix gate summoning a high templar to jay you degReE, big knosie; comon big noisey. anaken~
libel is like liability
insurance
there is no insurance
only churches
and hypothetical treachery
involving kuilles
and rimes
usually with far to many Everythings

Bluebird_of_Fastidiousness

First they came for the Muslims…

rtb61

Defence of your rights. It is always far safer to defend the rights of others when they are challenged, then to be in the line of fire when your rights are challenged.
Maintaining the rights of challenged minorities in society always ensures the rights of the majority are protected.
This all means taking a step forward in protecting your rights rather than being in the dangerous and weak positions of attempting to protect your rights after having taken a step or two or many back. much ground to recover.

Lady of the Snows

What would Kevin MacDonald think about this?

It confirms the paranoia of diaspora Jews – Foxman’s own words above are “This isn’t Muslim-baiting—it’s driven by fear, by a desire for safety and security”. Of course the very same attitude is displayed by people such as the ADL against European-Americans all the time.

It raises the question as to why they don’t live in Israel if the (at least cultural) Christians and Moslems are so insufferable for them.

In much the same way as feminism, people like the ADL are an inversion of their straw man ‘hate groups’ and ‘oppression’ they can’t shut up about.

kowalityjesus

I find it amusing that they use the accusation of “anti-semitic” against Arabs. Arabs are a semitic people. It would be more accurate to say “anti-Hebraic” or something of the sort.

ze’ev

Eh. I see where you’re coming from, but antisemitism is defined as racism directed at Jews, in contrast to anti-Judaism (a philosophical/religious stance), anti-Zionism (a political stance) and “anti-Hebraic” (which sounds to me like a stance on language/culture). David Duke expresses support for Palestinian self determination, yet, as he clearly holds a grudge for the Jewish “race”, it would be misleading to say he is not antisemitic.

ze’ev

As a Jew, I find Abe Foxman and the ADL to be a complete embarrassment. They seem to do more to increase negative sentiment against us than any other American organization. On some days I consider that their sole purpose is to keep diaspora Jews in alert mode so we continue to support Israel and eventually relocate there. I’ve also met the guy and personally find him to be a jerk.

As to your question about why we don’t all live there, understand, the vast majority of us don’t find you to be insufferable. Many of us harbor fears, but on the whole, most American Jews believe America to be safer than Israel. That said, the Jewish communities of France and Latin America are folding out of the diaspora, as have almost all the other major Jewish communities outside of the English speaking world. With a stable Middle East, I suspect we’d see a jump in the rates of America, Canadian, British, and Australian Jews returning.

Finally, I’ve never heard of Kevin McDonald, but a preliminary glance at his wiki page peaks my interest. I will look into what he has to say.

Lady of the Snows

You should read him, he’s a professor of psychology with an interest in Social Identity Theory and its neurological underpinnings. That is to say, in us-versus-them thinking – he basically confirms what you’ve said about ‘keeping diaspora Jews in alert mode’.

A People That Shall Dwell Alone is the background of traditional Judaism, the following Separation And Its Discontents is a study of anti-semitism as a two-way ethnic conflict and The Culture Of Critique is a history of Jewish involvement in 20th C social movements. I haven’t read his other fourth title, though it seems to be more political than it is objective. Unlike the first three volumes, which were more objective. Macdonald says that he became increasingly critical of Jews over time.

ze’ev

After a quick review of his main talking points, here are my initial thoughts; while the basis of his argument (that Jews have developed high intelligence and a tendency for communal thinking) isn’t too far fetched, his conclusion (that there’s a decidedly hostile and manipulative outlook on the gentile world inherent in Jewish neuropsychology, that manifests as deliberate attempts by Jews to fool gentiles into sacrificing their interests for ours) sounds pretty much identical to what almost all of our most vocal critics have always accused us of.

Lady of the Snows

Nonetheless, if cultures constitute evolutionary strategies then all cultures recognise an ingroup and promote its interest over those of an outgroup.

Macdonald only describes what you yourself have noticed – that diaspora Jews are kept in alert mode against outsiders, and politicised to support Israel.

ze’ev

Supposing I accept that cultures are just evolutionary strategies, then consider that maintenance of a group does not necessarily imply hostility to other groups. There have been many examples of cultural symbiosis throughout history, during which multiple cultures maintained their integrity while engaging with one another in a shared cosmopolitan society to the benefit of all parties.

In regards to the ‘alert mode’ statement, I spoke only to what I suppose Foxman’s motivations to be. Given that I maintain that most Jews feel safe in America and are not migrating to Israel en mass, I dare say that it’s not working.

As far as supporting Israel goes, Jews don’t have to be politicized to accept its right to exist. That’s a view that predates any expression of modern Zionism by centuries upon centuries. But when it comes to standing behind all the actions of the state, many are losing their patience. The ADL’s voice in that discussion is marginal.

kowalityjesus

I support the statement in your first paragraph. War is FAR too overemphasized in the history of humanity. Might I quote Ambrose Pierce, “History: An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are
brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.”

Calypso_1

what a well-controlled conversation

geminihigh

“First, he argued that incidents of anti-Semitism occur more frequently than those related to anti-Muslim bigotry, as if tracking bigotry is a game in which scores are kept.”

Actually, the tracking bigotry thing is a major part of what the the ADL does. This is the org that has successfully lobbied presidents to not formally recognize the Armenian Genocide as an actual genocide event. They claim that it will reignite anti-semitism in Armenia and neighboring nations by dredging up painful memories of the the past. (While a small minority of Jews participated in the massacres, there is some evidence that a few Jewish families attempted to hide and protect some of those targeted for extermination.) The real reason the ADL is opposed to calling the events a genocide is that it places that horrific chapter in Armenian, and world history, alongside the holocaust. In other words, the ADL doesn’t want any thunder stolen from their beloved near-extintction event. Its sick and ghoulish, but thats the way they think & operate. Their lives and the future of the state of Israel revolves around and is dependent upon the holocaust, in their mind. They are convinced that Judaism as a religion could not continue without the memory of the holocaust, seeming to forget that that particular faith has been around for a bit longer than 60 odd years. My aunt was a member of the Princeton area chapter of the ADL and quit in disgust when she learned of their policy in regards to the Armenian Genocide. I’m proud of her for being a strong, independent Jewish woman who didn’t swallow the ADL’s bullshit and got out when their principles conflicted with her moral standards. Ali Gharib senses certainly didn’t betray him during the interview when he picked up on the “well anti-semitism is a lot worse than muslim-bashing, so there” line Foxman handed him.

I’m convinced that the ADL’s mission is to keep anti-semitism alive and well through provocation and incessantly playing the victim/holocaust card. They use it as a tool to shield zionism from any criticism or opposition. Its ultimately tragic & pathetic that they embrace and employ the stereotype of the whiny little New York Jew, and encourage other Jews to be the same, all for the good of their cause.